The present invention relates generally to information handling systems, and more specifically to a system and method for determining a single set of settings for an information handling system based on a negotiation of one or more user preference profiles.
Information handling systems, including convergent television/computer systems, multimedia personal computers, audio and video equipment, televisions, and the like typically include a number of parameters or settings which may be adjusted by a user of the system according to his or her personal preferences. For example, information handling systems typically allow users to adjust audio/video settings such as volume level, base level, treble level, brightness, and contrast to enhance the user""s viewing and listening experience. Many information handling systems also allow adjustment of system parameters or settings including definition of preferred channel or station lists for television or radio or specification of email and program settings for communication or information processing. The settings, once adjusted, are usually stored in a non-volatile memory until reset or readjusted by a user.
A particular information handling system may, however, be utilized by many different users over a given period of time. Thus, for optimum use and enjoyment of the system, each user must often readjust some or all of the system""s settings prior to his or her use. Because the information handling system have many settings which must be readjusted, this process may waste a substantial amount of the user""s time which could be better spent using and enjoying the system. Further, many information handling systems, such as, for example, convergent television/computer systems, audio and video equipment, televisions, or automobile stereo systems may be used by more than one user at a time. Often, these users may have widely differing setting preferences which must be compromised if all are to receive optimum use and enjoyment of the system. This compromise has traditionally been accomplished manually by allowing one of the users to adjust the system settings until all or a majority of the users agree that the settings are acceptable. Besides being time consuming, such manual adjustment of the settings often fails to provide maximum satisfaction to all users.
Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide a system for determining optimum values for the settings of an information handling system based on a negotiation of the preferences of each user of the system and then automatically adjusting the settings accordingly.
The present invention is directed to a method for adjusting the system parameters or settings of an information handling system based on the individual user preferences of one or more users. The method includes the steps of identifying users of the information handling system, retrieving an individual user preference profile for each identified user wherein the individual user preference profile includes setting preferences preselected by the user, negotiating a combined user preference profile including settings for the information handling system based on the individual user preference profiles retrieved for each identified user, and adjusting the settings of the information handling system based on the combined user preference profile. The method may be tangibly embodied on a medium readable by the information handling system capable of causing the information handling system to execute the method.
The present invention is also directed to a system for adjusting the settings of an information handling system based on the individual user preferences of one or more users. The system includes a user interface for identifying users of the information handling system, one or more individual user preference profiles each including a number of setting preferences preselected by the user, and a system controller for retrieving setting preferences from the individual user preference profile for each identified user and negotiating settings for the information handling system based on the individual user preference profiles retrieved for each identified user. The system controller may then use the combined user preference profile to adjust the system settings of the information handling system.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.